Andy Marso Surviving meningitis One year before meningitis 2003: - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Andy Marso

Surviving meningitis

One year before meningitis

• 2003: Study abroad in Italy

One month before meningitis

• 2004: Senior year spring break in MN

April 27, 2004

Symptoms begin:

• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Aches
• Inability to concentrate

April 28, 2004

Symptoms progress:

• Foot/leg pain (pins and needles)
• Purplish rash on arms
• Cold arms and legs

April 28, 2004

Hospitalization:

• CT scan
• Spinal tap
• Breathing becomes labored
• Taken by helicopter to KC
• Loss of consciousness
• Septic shock/DIC (50% fatality rate)

Averting death

• Antibiotics delivered
• Xigris delivered for sepsis
• Ventilator
• Kidneys endure
• Recovery from pneumonia

Tissue damage begins

• WARNING: following pictures are graphic,

including exposed bone and tendon.

May 13, 2004

• Still on vent, circulation compromised

Damage= 3rd degree burns on 30% of body

Slicing away dead tissue

Determining what must be amputated

Determining what must be amputated

• Aug. 26, 2004: Leaving burn unit

One year of rehabilitation

Physical therapy

• Regaining flexibility (scar tissue)
• Too weak to roll over unassisted
• Using a wheelchair

Occupational therapy:

• Dress, eat, wash, use the bathroom
• Write, type, drive

Adjusting to new life

National Meningitis Association

Finding my toughness

• Doctors said I might never walk

Travel

Practical messages:

• College students 6X more likely to contract
• Get vaccinated (Menveo or Menactra)
• Bexsero (lobby for FDA action)
• Practice good hygiene (Be aware, don’t share)
• Know the symptoms (rash, stiff neck,

headache, pins and needles pain)

Why it was worth it

• Personal relationships
• Perspective (most important thing in life not

comfort, sometimes uncomfortable experiences cause most growth/societal good)

• Perseverance (bad things will happen, your

response is your own. Two steps forward, one step back will still get you there).